Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC, celebrating its 175th anniversary this year, is proud to announce its sponsorship of 3-gun shooter Clint Upchurch and his recent first place finish in the Open Division of the Ozark 3-Gun Championships.

As a Colt-sponsored 3-gun shooter, Upchurch has the privilege of shooting a version of the all-new Colt CR PRO Competition rifle. The new Colt CR PRO Competition rifle, licensed by BI, LLC, a leading designer of competition firearms, has many of the coveted features 3-gun competitors demand. Rifle features include an 18” stainless 1/8 twist barrel, 3.5 pound trigger, floated hand guard and Surefire brake, among others.

“Clint Upchuch is one of the most accomplished 3-gun competitors in the field and we are thrilled that he was able to finish first in his very first competition as a Colt 3-gun shooter,” said Joyce Rubino, vice president, Colt’s Manufacturing Company. “Our engineers teamed up with the designers at BI, LLC to ensure our 3-gun competitor has the equipment he needs to continue competing at a high level.”

Up next for Upchurch is the 2011 DPMS United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA)Multigun Nationals, October 21-23 in Las Vegas and the FNH USA 3-Gun Championships, November 10-13 in West Virginia where Upchurch will defend his Open Division first place finish.

"The Colt CR Pro is a rifle that truly fits the demanding needs of competitors. Right out of the box, the CR Pro is capable of match winning performance,” said Upchurch. “At the top level of competition, matches are won and lost by fractions of a second. The CR Pro delivers the accuracy, shootability and reliability required to compete at the highest level."

Upchurch is currently ranked #1 in the 3-Gun Nation Open Division rankings. Beginning his 3-gun career just a year ago in 2010, he has risen faster than most in the sport of 3-gun competition. Since that time, he has won four consecutive Open titles at major events, including Adams Arms Ozark 3-Gun Championship, Fort Benning 3-Gun Challenge, Superstition Mountain Mystery 3-Gun and the Blue Ridge Mountain 3-Gun. Upchurch regularly competes in USPSA events and was a member of Team U.S.A. at the 2010 International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC) Pan American shotgun championships where they won gold.